Michael Bachelard

Michael Bachelard is The Age's investigations editor. A former Indonesia correspondent, political reporter and workplace relations writer, he was awarded a Jefferson Fellowship in journalism in 2005. He is the author of Behind The Exclusive Brethren.

A few weeks before the devastating news that his clemency bid had been rejected by the Indonesian president, Myuran Sukumaran made contact with this reporter through back channels with a request: could Fairfax Media please stop using a particular photograph of him and fellow death row convict Andrew Chan.

A serious attempt was underway late on Saturday afternoon to lift the tail section of the downed AirAsia flight QZ8501 from the sea bottom, after teams of divers managed to attach a giant orange balloon to the wreckage.